GARRY Brooking is a man on a mission - to make sausages "the hero of any meal".

The 27-year-old is head sausage buyer for food giant Waitrose and is based at their head office in Bracknell.

So it's no surprise that he is delighted that his favourite nibble is to be honoured in British Sausage Week, starting from Monday.

"I never thought I'd get so involved in my job," he acknowledges, "but the area I'm working in at the moment is fascinating and such a great challenge".

Garry started at Waitrose five years ago after completing a degree in Food Science. He spent two and a half years in stores acquiring management skills, and then his career progressed into the world of buying.

"I started off in confectionery and then went into biscuits. Eighteen months ago, I was switched to bacon and sausages."

Garry quickly found out that there was a lot more to the humble banger than he initially thought - his first task in his new role was to create a speciality range of sausages for the store, which meant that he had to source the best products from scratch.

"I had to look at current trends and tastes, and develop ideas from there. My main aim was to look for the finest ingredients and what would enhance the sausage meat."

Garry's gastronomic adventures began by visiting the best restaurants and butchers all over the UK, and literally tasting thousands of sausages .

Once he had decided on the flavours ideally suited to the shelves at Waitrose, he travelled the world, scouring markets for the right produce to use.

For example, the Pork and Fresh Bramley Apple range consists of 12 per cent fresh apple, rather than the dried variety. It also includes orange blossom honey from Seville.

"I had to become an expert in honey, as well as sausages, in order to get the right flavour combination, which would enhance rather than drown out the meat.

"I tried eucalyptus, Scottish heather honey, mountain and pine honey. But eventually, I went for orange blossom since it is available all year round."

Tasting is a crucial part of Garry's work, but he insists it's not something he tires of.

"I've always loved sausages, so have had no problems settling into the role," he says. "I even went on the Atkins diet when we were developing the new range, and lost nearly two stone! "

Garry perfects the brand by relying on valuable customer input.

"We test new flavours on the meat counters , which keeps us up to date with current trends," he says. "I also work closely with our product development team in the food labs. A current favourite, tested during the summer barbecue season, is lamb, mint and mango - it will be back on the shelves soon.

"We are also introducing beef and lamb sausages for non-pork-eating customers."

A key part of Garry's role is working with the pork producers to ensure top quality.

"I love this side of the job, even though it involves a fair bit of travel," he admits. "Most of our farmers are in north Norfolk and parts of Suffolk. Each of our ranges uses different types of pork, such as English, free range or organic."

Since his new sausages launched in May, Garry has been focusing on what foods will feature heavily on most family's Christmas dining tables.

"Sausages and sausage meat, plus my other product - gammon - are big during the festive season. I've been extending our range and sourcing products to make sure the sausage is king. I want our customers to get excited about sausages - they are a British hero and should be enjoyed as such."

SIZZLER FACTS

BRITISH Sausage Week starts on October 24 . Visit www.meatmatters.com for info on recipes and events.